Sunshine Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Pretend you are loyal to a company for services whether it be Lawn Care Company or Computer services, or a certain product..... What could a company do for you to make you switch to their service?? What would you need to see in order to leave a company that has provided you with good service?? Any Ideas on this question would be very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low Roller Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 - Lower price - Better customer service (24 hour?) - More flexibility to make appointments (for instance, I only join banks that have service hours that go beyond the usual 9-5, when I'm at WORK! Bunch of stupid rich fu©ckers!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 What you seem to be talking about would in marketing speak be referred to as 'purchase process and buyer behaviour'. The answer to your question is largely subjective and likely would vary from person to person. For instance if you were talking about for instance lawn care as you mentioned or perhaps organic milk you are likely more concerned with environmental or health concerns than price points. Your purchase process is based on ethical principles which you activate through the buycotting of products and services. What could a company do for you to make you switch to their service?? In this instance price is usually a high motivator but customer service can be just as relevant. Vengeance on the company you are currently with because of their bad customer service and/or pricing is often a motivator. What would you need to see in order to leave a company that has provided you with good service?? Again this will greatly vary depending on the profile of your customer. In terms of the four P's of marketing {price, product, publicity and placement (distribution)} any combination of these factors may sway over a customer. With more clarity on what you need I could probably be more helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 2 words... free stuff!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenSeasJim Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 What company provides good customer service these days? I know that I'm generalizing, but it seems that nobody gives a sh!t anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted July 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Summary: Small Lawn Care Company Looking to take business away from other companies like Weed Man etc. We offer great Organic Programs for lawn care. And we have the greatest customer service - because I'm the one and only one!!! (Besides my boss and the technicians) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 In your case it's going to be customer service all the way I suspect. I had a friend who had quite a large landscaping company (60 lawn care customers) who sold his business to a guy with several different contracting and landscaping business. Of course many customers dropped out becuase the service was not the same. If you want to talk to someone who's done what you're doing about this send me a PM and I'll give you his email address. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted July 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Customers: Mainly people with money, and the elderly who can't take care of their properties anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 Again... FREE STUFF... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradm Posted July 27, 2004 Report Share Posted July 27, 2004 How about you extend the service beyond just the lawn, and start taking care of flower (or even vegetable) gardens? Handling planting of new stuff, maintenance of existing gardens, garden design, etc., especially if you use the latest organic helpers (e.g., helpful insects, nematodes, clean pesticides, etc.), and give your clients access to outside consultants (e.g., florists, garden designers, etc.) might be an "added value" that'll make people use your service over a lawn-only one like Weed Man. Aloha, Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paan Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Try to apply the current concerns or trends.... i.e. The environment in this case. Create a product that is good (or better) for the environment than competitors.. work on peoples guilt as well as their greed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 oh yeah, and free stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzinfivefour Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 To directly quote the ever-honest Bill Hicks: "If you're in advertising or marketing, go and kill yourself,.... no, seriously, there's no joke here, fu©king kill yourself. You are a sucker of satans cock and you represent everything thats wrong with the world,... do us all a favour and kill yourself. but seriously, if you are,.....do it!" oh Bill you're my hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 OOOkkkk!!! honeslty...lure customers in with a free treatment...then, zingo...they know who you are...The only thing is that you have to woo them with yer customer service skills... Worked at the Blockbuster....worked at Bell... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Toot Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Here's a plan that would work for Landscaping / Interlock type companies that should work for Lawn Care, too... This involves more getting contracts in the winter / spring for summer business. Check the MLS for houses that sell, or go around and look for "SOLD" signs. A few weeks, or so after people move in, visit them in person. MOst people use the same company renewals every year, but if you move, you need a new company in your new city. This way, you are only visiting prospects, and aren't just cold calling people with the service already... probably a high sales rate. People I know in Landscaping get new customers at the HOme Shows most cities have each spring. They get new clients in a neighbourhood from the signs you put up while working on a job, and left behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine Posted July 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Thanks for all the advice. My boss and I sat down today and put together a pretty good mail out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Large Marge Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 If it's not too late, here's a couple o' ideas... Why not get a bunch of those rubber finger thimbles (usually used for flipping pages) in green and attach them to a card stating that you will be the green thumb in their life (maybe worded a little better). Another good (and fairly inexpensive) idea would be to make up some custom seed packets with your logo and contact info and drop them into mailboxes or hand them out at local events. Try this, if you're interested: custom seed packets Hope this helps! let me know if you want the green thumbs... I might be able to score some from work. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Although it will ultimately come down to word of mouth I think, post a few signs/seed packets/anything iwth contact information at all the grocery stores and community bulletin boards you can find. If it doesn't attract customers at the very least people will see the name of your business around town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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